In the aeronautical field, there are devices which are configured to support electronic circuit cards 10 and allow their connection.
According to a known embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a device for supporting and connecting electronic circuit cards 10 comprises:                an electronic circuit card support 18 which is L-shaped, having a first, approximately vertical, flange 20 and a second, approximately horizontal, flange 22;        connectors 24 positioned on the first flange 20 of the electronic circuit card support 18, at least one for each electronic circuit card 10, each being configured to receive the connection 14 of an electronic circuit card 10; and        an electronic circuit card guide 26 which is positioned and fastened on the second flange 22 of the electronic circuit card support 18 and which is configured to guide each electronic circuit card 10 towards the connector 24 associated with it.        
In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, the device for supporting and connecting electronic circuit cards 10 comprises a first electronic circuit card guide 26 which is positioned and fastened on the second flange 22 of the electronic circuit card support 18, and a second electronic circuit card guide 26′ parallel to the first electronic circuit card guide 26, the electronic circuit cards 10 being inserted between the first and second electronic circuit card guides 26 and 26′.
Each electronic circuit card guide 26, 26′ comprises a plurality of grooves 28, one for each electronic circuit card 10, each groove 28 having a U-shaped cross section configured to house the second or third edge 16, 16′ of the electronic circuit card 10 and to guide the electronic circuit card 10 in a direction perpendicular to the first flange 20 of the electronic circuit card support 18, corresponding to the direction of insertion of the electronic circuit card 10.
For each electronic circuit card 10, at least one of the electronic circuit card guides 26, 26′ and/or the electronic circuit card 10 comprises a locking system 30 for immobilizing the electronic circuit card 10 and preventing the withdrawal of the connection 14 of the card from the associated connector 24. The electronic circuit card guide 26 comprises a plurality of thin strips of material 32 which link the grooves 28 and extend perpendicularly to the direction of the grooves 28.
According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 3, an electronic circuit card 10 is a board on which electrical and/or electronic components are mounted, the board being approximately square or rectangular in shape and having a first edge 12, on which at least one connection 14 is positioned, and second and third edges 16, 16′ configured to guide the electronic circuit card 10.
As shown in FIG. 3, at least one electronic circuit card 10 comprises a system 34 for capturing heat from the electronic circuit card 10, a heat sink 36 positioned on the second edge 16 of the electronic circuit card 10, and a heat pipe 38 for guiding the heat from the capture system 34 towards the heat sink 36. According to this embodiment, the heat emitted by the electronic circuit card 10 is transmitted by the heat sink 36 towards the electronic circuit card guide 26 and then towards the electronic circuit card support 18, which is then used to dissipate the heat.
The device for supporting and connecting electronic circuit cards 10 also comprises a distribution system for distributing a first air flow 40, to regulate the temperature of the electronic circuit cards 10. This distribution system may also be used to provide a pressure drop, commonly called a head loss.
In one embodiment, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the second flange 22 of the electronic circuit card support 10 takes the form of a solid plate 42.
The system for distributing the first air flow comprises a plurality of openings 44 passing through the solid plate 42. These openings 44 are arranged and designed to distribute the first air flow 40, received from below the second flange 22 and passing through it, in at least a second air flow 46 above the second flange 22 and in contact with the electronic circuit cards 10. These openings 44 of the second flange 22 of the electronic circuit card support 18 have cross sections smaller than the holes 33 delimited or defined by the grooves 28 and the thin strips of material 32 of the electronic circuit card guide 26.
To avoid interference with the system for distributing the first air flow, the thin strips of material 32 of the electronic circuit card guide 26 are spaced apart by a significant distance to allow the unrestricted passage of the air through the electronic circuit card guide 26, and their height (the dimension in a direction perpendicular to the second flange 22) is small relative to the height of the branches of the U-shaped cross section of the grooves 28.
Because of this, the heat dissipation capacity of the electronic circuit card guide 26 is not optimal.
Furthermore, since the contact surface areas between the electronic circuit card guide 26 and the electronic circuit card support 18 are small, the heat transfer between the electronic circuit card guide 26 and the electronic circuit card support 18 is limited, and this reduces the capacity to dissipate the heat received from the heat pipe 38.
The disclosure herein is intended to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.